Skip to main content
Log in

Prevalence and associated factors of sarcopenia among elderly in Brazil: Findings from the SABE study

  • Published:
The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objectives

The aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence and factors associated with sarcopenia in older residents in São Paulo, Brazil.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

São Paulo, Brazil.

Participants

1,149 older individuals from the second wave of the Saúde, Bem-Estar e Envelhecimento (SABE) study from 2006.

Measurements

The definition of sarcopenia was based on the consensus of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP), which include three components: low muscle mass, assessed by a skeletal muscle mass index of ≤8.90kg/m2 for men and ≤6.37kg/m2 for women; low muscle strength, assessed by handgrip strength <30kg for men and <20kg for women; and low physical performance, assessed by gait speed <0.8m/s. Diagnosis of sarcopenia required presence of low muscle mass plus low muscle strength or low physical performance. Socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics, medical conditions and nutritional status were considered as independent variables to determine the associated factors using a logistic regression model.

Results

The prevalence of sarcopenia was 16.1% in women and 14.4% in men. Advanced age with a dose response effect, cognitive impairment, lower income, smoking, undernutrition and risk for undernutrition (p<0.05) were factors associated with sarcopenia.

Conclusions

The EWGSOP algorithm is useful to define sarcopenia. The prevalence of sarcopenia in the Brazilian elderly population is high and several associated factors show that this syndrome is affected by multiple domains. No differences were observed by gender in any age groups.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Janssen I, Heymsfield SB, Ross R. Low relative skeletal muscle mass (sarcopenia) in older persons is associated with functional impairment and physical disability. J Am Geriatr Soc 2002;50:889–896.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Newman AB, Kupelian V, Visser M, et al. Sarcopenia: Alternative definitions and associations with lower extremity function. J Am Geriatr Soc 2003;51:1602–1609.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Delmonico MJ, Harris TB, Lee JS, et al. Alternative definitions of sarcopenia, lower extremity performance, and functional impairment with aging in older men and women. J Am Geriatr Soc 2007;55:769–774.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Landi F, Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Liperoti R, et al. Sarcopenia and mortality risk in frail older persons aged 80 years and older: results from ilSIRENTE Study. Age Ageing 2013;42(2):203–209.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Baeyens JP, Bauer JM, et al. Sarcopenia: European consensus on definition and diagnosis. Age Ageing 2010;39:412–413.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Morley JE. Sarcopenia: diagnosis and treatment. J Nutr Health Aging 2008;12:452–456.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Iannuzzi-Sucich M, Prestwood KM, Kenny AM. Prevalence of Sarcopenia and Predictors of skeletal muscle mass in healthy, older men and women. J Geront A Biol Sci Med Sci 2002;57A(12):M772–M777.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Lau EMC, Lynn HSH, Woo JW, Kwok TCY, Melton LJ. Prevalence of and risk factors for sarcopenia in elderly Chinese men and women. J Geront A Biol Sci Med Sci 2005;60A(2):213–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Tichet J, Vol S, Goxe D, Salle A, Berrut G, Ritz P. Prevalence of sarcopenia in the French senior population. J Nutr Health Aging 2008;12(3):202–206.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Masanes F, Culia A, Navarro-Gonzalez M et al. Prevalence of sarcopenia in health community-dwelling elderly in a urban area of Barcelona (Spain). J Nutr Health Aging 2012;16(2):184–187.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Baumgartner RN, Kathleen MK, Gallagher D, et al. Epidemiology of sarcopenia among the elderly in New Mexico. Am J Epidemiol 1998;147:755–763.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Lee JSW, Auyeung TW, Timothy K, Lau EMC, Leung PC, Woo J. Associated factors and health impact of sarcopenia in older Chinese men and women: a cross-sectional study. Gerontology 2007;53:404–410.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Arango-Lopera VE, Arroyo P, Gutiérrez-Robledo LM, Pérez-Zepeda UM. Prevalence of sarcopenia in Mexico city. Europ Geriatr Med 2012;3(3):157–160.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Lee RC, Wang Z, Heo M, Ross R, Janssen I, Heymsfield SB. Total-body skeletal muscle mass: development and cross-validation of anthropometric prediction models. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;72:796–803.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Rech CR, Dellagrana RA, Marucci MFN, Petroski EL. Validity of anthropometric equations for the estimation of muscle mass in elderly. Braz J Kineant 2012;14(1):23–31.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Laurentani F, Russo C, Bandinelli S, et al. Age-associated changes in skeletal muscles and their effect on mobility: an operational diagnosis of sarcopenia. J Appl Physiol 2003;95:1851–1860.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Guralnik JM, Simonsick EM, Ferruci L, et al. A short physical performance battery assessing lower extremity function: association with self-reported disability and prediction of mortality and nursing home admission. Journal Gerontology 1994;49(2):M85–M94.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Peto R (1986) Influence of dose and duration of smoking on lung cancer rates. In: Zaridze D & Peto R (eds) Tobbaco: A Growing International Health Hazard (IARC Scientific Publications No. 74), Lyon, IARC Press, pp 23–33.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Lexicon of alcohol and drug terms. 1994. World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Guedes DP, Lopes CC, Guedes JERP. Reprodutibilidade e validade do Questionário Internacional de Atividade Física em adolescentes. Rev Bras Med Esp 2005;11(2):151–157.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Craig CL, Marshall AL, Sjostrom M, et al. International physical activity questionnaire: 12-country reliability and validity. Med Sci Spor Exer 2003;35:1381–1395.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Folstein MF, Folstein SE, Mchugh PR. A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patient for the clinician. J Psych Res 1975;12:189–198.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Icaza MC, Albala C. PROJETO SABE. Minimental State Examination (MMSE) del Studio de dementia en Chile: Análisis estadístico. 1999. OPAS, 1–18.

  24. Sheikh JI, Yesavage JA. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS): recent evidence and development of a short version. Clinical Gerontology 1986;5:165–173.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Almeida OP, Almeida SA (1999). Short versions of the Geriatric Depression Scale: A Study of their validity for the diagnosis of a major depressive episode according to ICD-10 e DSM-IV. Inter J Ger Psych 1999;14:858–865.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Keys A, Fidanza F, Karvonen MJ, Kimura N, Taylor HL. Indices of relative weight and adiposity. J Chronic Dis 1972;25:329–343.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Guigoz Y, Vellas B. Test d’evaluation de létat nutritionnel de la personne âgee: le Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA®) [Test to assess the nutritional status of the elderly: The Mini Nutritional Assessment — MNA]. Med Hyg 1995;53:1965–1969.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Guigoz Y. The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA®) review of the literature — what does it tell us? J Nutr Health Aging 2006;10:466–487.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Angelos Tosteson AN, Begg CB. A general regression methodology for ROC curve estimation. Med Decis Making 1988;8:2014–2015.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Patel HP, Syddall HE, Jameson K, et al. Prevalence of sarcopenia in community-dwelling older people on the UK using the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) definition: findings from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study (HCS). Age Ageing 2013;42(3):378–384.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Abbiss CR, Laursen PB. Models to explain fatigue during prolonged endurance cycling. Sports Med 2005;35:865–898.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Meeusen R, Watson P, Hasegawa H et al. Central fatigue. The serotonin hypothesis and beyond. Sports Med 2006;36:881–909.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Walston J, Hadley EC, Ferrucci L, et al. Research agenda for frailty in older adults: Toward a better understanding of physiology and etiology: Summary from the American Geriatrics Society/National Institute on Aging Research Conference on frailty in older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 2006;54:991–1001.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Schwendner KI, Mikesky, AE, Holt HSJ, Peacock M, Burr DB. Differences in muscle endurance and recovery between fallers and non fallers, and between Young and older women. J Geront A Biol Sci Med Sci 1997;52:M155–M160.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Nybo L, Rasmussen P. Inadequate cerebral oxygen delivery and central fatigue during strenuous exercise. Exer Sport Sci Rev 2007;35:110–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Tanko LB, Movsesyan L, Mouritzen U, Christiansen C, Svendsen OL. Appendicular lean tissue mass and the prevalence of sarcopenia among healthy women. Metabolism 2002;51:69–74.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Donini LM, Scardella P, Piombo L, et al. Malnutrition in elderly: social and economic determinants. J Nutr Health Aging 2013;17(1):9–15.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Donini JE, Savina C, Piredda M, et al. Senile anorexia in acute-ward and rehabilitation settings. J Nutr Health Aging 2008;12:511–517.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Janssen I, Heymsfield SB, Wang Z, Ross R. Skeletal muscle mass and distribution in 468 men and women aged 18–99 yr. J Appl Physiol 2000;89:81–88.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Andrade FCD, Guevara PE, Lebrão ML, Duarte YAO, Santos JLF. (2011). Gender differences in life expectancy and disability-free life expectancy among older adults in São Paulo, Brazil. Women’s Health Issues. 2011;21:64–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Camarano AA, Watanabe HAW, Andrade A, Carvalho DF, Diniz H, Mello JL et al. Relatório do projeto instituições de longa permanência para idosos — ILPI no Brasil: Tipologia e proposta de modelo básico de assistência multidimensional 2009. Processo 555079/2006-6. Editai MCT-CNPq/MS-SCTIE-DECIT, n 17/2006. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: IPEA.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tiago da Silva Alexandre.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

da Silva Alexandre, T., de Oliveira Duarte, Y.A., Ferreira Santos, J.L. et al. Prevalence and associated factors of sarcopenia among elderly in Brazil: Findings from the SABE study. J Nutr Health Aging 18, 284–290 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-013-0413-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-013-0413-0

Key words

Navigation